This letter to the editor by the mayor was right on target and closely paralleled my thoughts when I read the letter criticizing him for failing to attend Memorial Day events.
If you read The Outpost's Memorial Day calendar, you noticed that we had no events honoring veterans listed. That's not because we hate veterans but because no one bothered to tell us that any events were going on, even though this is probably the only newspaper in town actually run by a veteran and even though I could make a good case that the people most likely to attend such events are also the people most likely to read The Outpost. Maybe the events were reported on TV; I rarely get home in time to watch the news. Maybe they were in The Gazette; although I am a faithful Gazette reader, I don't read every story every day, and I may have missed this one. So I didn't know.
In all my newspaper years, it has never much bothered me when people complain about failure to cover an event. Since you can't be everywhere, such disappointments are inevitable. At least the readers' willingness to complain shows they still care.
But I haven't much use for people who can't be bothered to tell you about an event in advance but still have the energy to complain afterward that you weren't there. It's too much to ask that we be both omniscient and omnipresent. Even in the comic books, most of the heroes have only one super power.
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I attended the services at Riverside Cemetery (where our indigent are buried including over 22 Veterans) Mountview Cemetery and Terrace Gardens.
The *ONLY* elected official I saw was Bill Kennedy who I dont beleive is a Veteran.
I also attended the dedication of the memorial in the park in Huntley for the Men killed in the C 119 Flying Box Car crash near Shepherd a few weeks ago and the *ONLY* elected official to show up was Bill Kennedy.
John Ostlund is a Veteran and a member fo American Legion Post 4 but you never see him unless its election time.
Mayor Tussing shouldn't be afraid to tell people 'No' once in a while.
There is only one of him.
He probably just got overcommitted.
Sec. 2-202. Mayor's powers and duties.
... The mayor shall be recognized as the head of city government for all ceremonial purposes and by the governor for purposes of military law, ... .
This isn't L.A. Everyone pretty much knows where "the" parade will be. So the volunteers forgot, oops on the volunteers, but does that excuse elected officials? I don't think so. Is "taking initiative a lost art?
As one of his defeated opponents, I can tell you that Bill Kennedy shows up for EVERYTHING, except probably dinner in his own home.
Bill even got more political mileage out of the Purple Heart Memorial than I did, and my name is ON it!
Mayor Tussing went to Helena to celebrate his daughter's birthday with her family. Good for him.
Dear Dave,
I am truly saddened that your paper was not notified, there was a time that the United Veterans Council took the time to notify all they could, get it out on the airwaves, etc. I am sorry that is not happening. But, honestly some old vets do not want to pass the reigns along, so many things are going by the wayside. Several comments have been made that Ostlund is a vet and a member of the Legion, I am not sure if either is true. As for Kennedy give him his due, he is there always, election time or not. As for all the bloggers of this blog and city lights, Memorial Day has only one meaning, to honor those who have laid down their lifes in a time of war or conflict. As for the Mayor, he simply did not attend, his choice, but the way things are run, he may not have been given the opportunity.
Elected officials especially, have a duty to our military to show up at said events and offer thanks. Thanks for the freedom to govern as we do. A government in which they were elected and enjoy compensation because these folks preserved our freedom to do so. Have we gotten that far away from this connection?
Please don't compare an elected official to a media outlet regarding notice of events.
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